The director of a state-owned utilities company in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau has been caught using public money to fund trips for family members.

According to information given by subordinates looking to expose him, Lai Tan Dat, director of the Ca Mau Power Company, submitted a list of the company's employees who would make a 10-day trip to 10 northern provinces.

Most of the people on the list were Dat's family members, including his son, sister, brother-in-law and niece, who are not employees of the company.

Dat allegedly gave his family members some fake titles as employees of power companies in the province so that they could enjoy the free trip.

The trip, lasting from March 2 to 11, was totally funded by the Ca Mau Power Company.

After his actions were exposed, Dat told the press his family members had paid their airfares themselves, while other expenses were covered by power companies in the northern provinces.